Council on Competitiveness and Mexican Counterpart Convene Dialogue to Shape Competitive Business Environment for the 21st Century

WASHINGTON—Top business leaders from the United States and Mexico are calling for greater economic and educational cooperation between the two countries. Delegations from the Council on Competitiveness and its Mexican counterpart, the Institute on Mexican Competitiveness (IMCO), met today in Washington, and the two organizations released an economic Call-to-Action, which is intended to create a more dynamic North American market and fuel economic prosperity throughout the region.

“While NAFTA has unleashed North America’s economic potential, changes in global competition and national security are challenging the region’s competitive advantages,” said Deborah L. Wince-Smith, president of the Council on Competitiveness. “To compete with the booming economies of China and the Far East, the U.S. and Mexico must forge a strong alliance to ensure a robust, dynamic business environment with a flexible, skilled talent pool to remain competitive in the 21st century.”

The recommendations outlined in the Call-to-Action focus on integrating the United States and Mexican business environments and strengthening of their respective workforces. Commerce between Mexico and the United States has grown more than 240 percent since the creation of NAFTA, with Mexico sending 80 percent of its exports to the United States and receiving more than 60 percent of its imports from the United States.

The groups are emphasizing innovation and entrepreneurship as the pillars of the future U.S. and Mexican business environment. Among the recommendations is the creation of bi-national tax exemptions for private sector and university research and development. The groups are also calling for a bilateral study of the U.S. and Mexican risk climate, and the formation of a network of cross-cultural innovators who will collaborate on the next great commercial discoveries.

Participants discussed the need for a well-trained labor force capable of succeeding in the global economy, as well as the creation of stronger higher education linkages between the United States and Mexico. The Call-to-Action encourages enhancement of applied research through stronger collaboration between U.S. and Mexican universities, including an annual summit of the leading researchers in academia and business.

Today’s meeting was convened by Council on Competitiveness chairman Chad Holliday, chairman and CEO of DuPont, and IMCO president Valentín Diez Morodo, chairman of the Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade Investment and Technology. Among the speakers were Dr. Arden Bement, director of the National Science Foundation, Deputy National Security Advisor David McCormick, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Frank Lavin, Robert Mosbacher, CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Irma Gomez, chief advisor to Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and Senator Silvia Hernandez, Mexican State of Queretaro.

Participants included leaders from an array of business, political and higher education entities, including Wal-Mart, John Deere, Merck, Cisco Systems, DuPont, Michigan State University, Georgetown University, University of California at San Diego, the National Security Council, U.S. State Department, U.S. Commerce Department and the Mexican Embassy.

The conference was the third gathering of nationally recognized business and technology innovators convened between the Council on Competitiveness and the Institute on Mexican Competitiveness.

To receive a copy of the Call-to-Action, please contact Jennifer Carr at (202) 969-3405.